Ink receptive coatings for water-based ink jet printing are known and generally involve highly absorbent particulates like precipitated silica.
A problem with ink receptive coatings containing silica and other highly absorptive inorganic particulates is that they tend to cause rough, low-gloss coating surfaces. Silicas are one of the primary flatting agents to create low-gloss (matted) coatings and finishes.
Another problem with digitally printed images obtained with water-based inks on receptive coatings is wet abrasion resistance. Typically, things that interact well with water and other polar solvents, swell and soften in the presence of water and polar solvents. Ink images, especially on the surface of a coating rather than absorbed into the coating, tend to abrade faster from softer swollen coatings than from hard non-swollen coatings. Thus, technologies to make a coating ink receptive and fast drying tend to also make the images on the coating more subject to quick abrasive wear and losses in image quality and legibility.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,440,273 on coating composition for forming a glossy inkjet receptive coating on a substrate relates to a coating on a substrate having a cationic polymer and a colloidal silica.
WO02/068191A1 to inkjet printable waterslide transferable media relates to an ink receptive structure that can be printed and then facilitate the transfer of the printed image on the substrate to another object.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,897,281 B2 relates to a breathable polyurethanes, blends, and articles therefrom. The polyurethanes are different because they have poly(ethylene oxide) rich side chains that help moisture vapor permeability.